The writer of this article suggests that racism must be “torn away,” giving a nod to all the protests and marches going on now. I am a lifelong resident of Mississippi (52 years) and grew up in the Delta in the 1970s and ‘80s. I did not see pervasive racism then, and I do not now. Racism is only brought to the forefront by the media spotlighting isolated events and making racist actions seem as though they are all around us. I witnessed the Confederate rally and counterprotest on Saturday. It was shameful on both sides. Does anyone believe shouting and hurling insults will in any way make anything better? The past will never be changed. We can only learn from it. Let the statue stand as a reminder of how far we’ve come and what can happen should we backslide. The tearing down of historical monuments is hate group action. Be better than that.

Buddy Lowery is a library specialist at the University of Mississippi.